If you’ve already started studying for your technician exam, and chances are you are well aware of the generic and name-brand equivalents between medications
According to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), therapeutic equivalence refers to 2 medications that have the same clinical effect and safety profile as specified in labeling
Clinical effect refers to the health outcome of a patient’s health following a treatment
Safety profile refers to the characteristics identified about a medication to determine its safety
What Makes Two Medications Equivalent?
For two medications to have the same clinical effect, two things must be considered: bioequivalence and pharmaceutical equivalence
The FDA defines bioequivalence in medications as equivalent in the rate at which the active ingredient is available at the drug action site(s).
For two medications to have pharmaceutical equivalence, they must have the same active ingredient, dose, strength/concentration, and route of administration
Can They Have Any Differences?
As defined on the FDA website, they can differ in a limited number of ways…
- color and flavor
- labeling (to an extent)
- scoring on the medication
- shape
- mechanism of release
What Medications are Therapeutic Equivalents?
Generic versions of name-brand medications are considered therapeutic equivalents. This is where knowing the generic to name-brand conversion comes in handy
Related: Common Generic to Name Brand Drugs
So for instance, on your exam, you may see a question phrased like this…
What is the therapeutic equivalent of Synthroid?
Answer: Levothyroxine